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A fabulous introduction to Vietnam. I feel blessed to have been!
So hard to choose. Halong Bay was beautiful, of course. But I really enjoyed the Marble Mountain caves too - what a surprise! Oh and Hoi An! And our guide, Linh, was a very special fellow whose honesty, humility and kindness melted my heart on more than one occasion.
See above - we couldn't have asked for more!
The hotels are surprisingly good. But breakfasts not necessarily accommodating of Western tastes!
We were getting together as a family on this trip and it proved perfect – a really great group of people of all ages, and such a wide range of activities and visits. We really enjoyed cookery school and street food, we loved meeting the very friendly people, and appreciated starting to understand the complex history of the country and seeing its dynamic growth now. The traffic is a nightmare, we kept getting lost in Hanoi and the language baffled us, but the country is fascinating.
We really enjoyed cycling through the rice paddies to visit a market and find out about rice processing, and eating with a family in their home in Hue.
Our leader was extremely good - very organised, friendly and diplomatic, knowledgeable.
Probably wise not to take too much stuff as we were moving on alot and had several nights with just overnight bags. Anyway its good to save some space for all the really good and cheap things to buy. We had no worries about mosquitoes or insects, and bottled water is provided everywhere. The food is amazing and all so fresh - lots of fish and vegetables, and French pastries. No problem finding ATMs in the cities.
Publicised as one of Nepal’s best and i imagine that few could beat it for the range of experiences on offer. The daybreak on the top of Poon Hill was fantastic. Although don’t go there to be alone! Walking up the valley of the Modi Khola was hard work due to the numerous stone staircases – hundreds of steps down a side valley followed by more steps to go back to the same elevation. The situation of ABC in the Sanctuary is very special indeed.
Sunrise illuminating the massive South Face of Annapurna I (one of the 14 8000'ers). Mesmerising and so photogenic.
Prasant Subedi was an extremely fine leader of our group. Always good humoured. Informative. Coped well as various illnesses hit many in the group.
Bring a good sleeping bag. While not essential for the majority of the walk in Oct/Nov, Annapurna BC is very cold at night.
Absolutely the worst tour I have experienced in many years of travel. But the major bone of contention lies squarely on the unprofessionalism exhibited by our tour director, Zafer.
Destinations were interesting as Turkey is a fascinating country with ancient sites I consider as jewels. Overall, too many hours were spent on the bus as distances between highlights are vast. However little foresight by the tour guide exacerbated the situation. Toilet stops were infrequent; too long spend in food service centres; most days were conducted in a helter-skelter atmosphere causing some major highlights to be rushed or missed entirely. Hotels mostly were below standard/basic; some should be condemned.
Cappodocia and the ancient sites
Whilst Zafer's knowledge of archaeology and general energy probably got him this job, his attitude lacked skill, responsibility and competence in caring for his group . He openly displayed an unbalanced and unprofessional approach towards a tour group of 17 persons....98% of effort directed on a romantic interest, whilst everyone else scrambled to gather crumbs. During the last 10 days, I felt we were an annoying nuisance tagging along on a honeymoon. It was absolutely pathetic watching exclusive "selfies" being taken, quite alienated from the group.
Don't use Exodus tours as they obviously do not instruct tour guides to behave in a professional manner, to remain unbiased, and to be discreet. They also obviously lack training in skills of crowd management. There also appears no protocols are in place when dealing with medical situations, as we experienced with one guest who required hospital attention. Exodus is also far too expensive as hotels are woeful and well below expectations.
We were very sorry to learn that Helene was so disappointed with her tour leader. On the back of client feedback our local manager will be providing Zafer with further training before he leads any other Exodus tours. We would like to assure our clients that we are confident that the vast majority of our leaders are very popular and we regularly receive fantastic comments from clients about the value their tour leader has added to their enjoyment of their trip. Of clients who completed their holiday evaluation forms last year, 93% of our travellers said our leaders met or exceeded their expectations and in the online reviews posted by clients who have travelled with us all over the world, there are numerous commendations for their tour leaders which we feel is reassuring, but we sincerely regret that Helene’s experience in Turkey was not as positive.
All excellent: accommodation, food, hosts, itinerary and weather.
The spectacular wild flower meadows.
Udo Krauss is excellent. Simply the best.
You will have a great holiday.
The guides are fantastic, the wildlife too,
It’s like riding along in a giant zoo,
You see toucans and sloths from your perch in the saddle
Iguanas and crocs when you go for a paddle
Some days you’ll be filthy and covered in sweat
Sat on a bus next to folks you just met
But you’ll still have a ball every day of this ride
These beautiful lands make you smile inside.
Ok, sorry about the atrocious poetry, I blame it on too much sunshine and cycling….it’s a brilliant trip and we’ve written a few tips to help you enjoy it as much as we did….
I hate this question, every time I think of an answer, it doesn’t adequately capture the spirit of this trip…..toucans, iguanas, crocs, volcanoes, running into the Pacific after a muddy cycle, toucans, holding my very first snake, sloths, turtles, monkeys, toucans, the spectacular Panama Canal, getting a sense of immersion in the countries from your bike, drinking cocktails in hot springs as night falls, dolphins, did I mention the toucans?
One word….Genius! Janiel (call her ‘J’) is the most organised and friendly guide I’ve ever had the pleasure of travelling with. I’ve been on numerous excellent Exodus trips and on this one we received the most thorough briefing ever, detailed day by day trip notes, maps and ride profiles, supremely smart meal and bill organisation to handle Central American ideas on service, and excellent handling of potentially nightmarish border crossings - we crossed the Nicaragua - Costa Rica border in just an hour & a half, that may be some sort of record. Nothing was too much trouble and she handled even the most irritating of requests and questions with humour and good grace. She was very ably supported by Luis and Ronald, great bike leader and driver. The bikes were very good quality and Luis expertly fixed any small bits & pieces along the way. Also, he’s just started learning English so make him practice, it’s good for him and he does really well as his confidence grows. Overall a great team, happy to go on tour with them anytime.
Don’t worry about whether you can manage the cycling, you can. There are regular breaks, the bus is always there if you need it and the slower you ride, the more wildlife you’ll see. Take small denomination US$, everywhere takes $ but generally change is in local currency and changing $100 bills can be a pain. Quick dry clothes are brilliant. Take sunscreen and insect repellent – we also took a bite & sting relief pen, which was brilliant. Take a little handlebar bag or bumbag for cycling. The bus is with you throughout so you don’t need to carry much more than your camera while cycling. Unlimited drinking water is available from the bus and the bikes have bottles – just make sure you remember to keep drinking as it gets really hot. In La Fortuna there’s an optional day off the bike and multiple other activities available – ask the guide a day or two in advance so you have time to decide what you fancy. Nicaragua is noticeably poorer than the other two countries and the school children really appreciate gifts of stationery & toys. Leave an extra layer or two on the bus – even on short transfers you can get cold (particularly if the weather is wet in the RAINforest) and you’ll only get cold on the bus once before you remember to do this!
I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. I had only chosen it as the dates fitted in with subsequent travel in Spain and Morocco. I knew little about Mallorca apart from the trip notes but was keen to do some hiking. We had a really cohesive group which definitely helped with enjoyment each day. Although I had 3 weeks of further travel after this hike, I could have easily returned to Australia after the 8 days totally satisfied. I would highly recommend this trip!
I really enjoyed walking each day in amongst amazing mountain scenery and then finishing each day off with a swim in the Mediterranean. Our traditional Mallorcan picnic lunches were also a highlight, with Eduard providing different supplies each day to expose us to a wide variety of Mallorcan cheeses, meats and vegetables. Most days involved a hike in the mountains with a chance to wander around a different village. I also enjoyed the couple of stops for fresh juice and delicious cakes.
Eduard was an exceptional leader. His deep knowledge of the history of Mallorca along with all sorts of fascinating information on the local flora and fauna made each walk all the more interesting. He was friendly and sensitive and his passion for this island was evident throughout the tour.
Make sure you are fit enough for a moderate grade. Initially I expected the pace to be a little slower and was concerned about managing, but as the ascents became steeper, Eduard slowed the pace accordingly. I found the walk on day 2 quite challenging and I believe a few others did too.
This is a thoroughly rewarding experience through a beautiful country. Still coming to terms with the 150 years of occupation and war, the trip took us from North to South in a hectic but fascinating two week trip. You’ll learn a lot about the recent history which still effects the country today. The people make this trip, from it’s busy markets, the millions of scooters to the smiling children playing on the streets its hard not to be totally charmed by the place and it’s culture. The country is stunning, halong bay being an obvious highlight, but the temples, pagodas, beaches, jungle and rice fields all help make this trip one of the best I’ve been on.
The highlight was kayaking at Halong Bay while the sun set. I was unsure about doing this, but went for it and certainly didn't regret it. Paddling through small caves into areas larger boats can't go, we found ourselves completly alone in a most beautiful place. If you go on this trip, make sure you do it !
Linh was our tour leader and he was an absolute star. It was a few days before we realised all the phone calls, quiet chats with locals were all about organising us (the group). He was amazingly efficient at getting us at the right place at the right time. His stories about life in Vietnam were one of the highlights of trip, giving the tour a personal touch that would otherwise have been missing. I couldn't commend Linh enough and congratulate him on helping create a really rewarding trip.
Be aware you may not spend as much as you think ! Food and drink is really cheap and I ended up with a fair bit of cash left over. You may be surprised at the standard of the hotels, they are on the whole really good, all come with air conditioning (with the exception of the home stay) and with wi fi. Breakfast at the hotels can be a bit lacking though and I think that's probably the case across the board. The rest of the meals you will have are exceptionally good, Vietnamese food is amazing !
Surprisingly diverse mountain landscapes and the two extremes of Morocco’s coastal tourist spots (Agadir and Essaouira).
Day 7 from Imouzzer towards Essaouira, with a dangerous descent behind us and the road following a palm-fringed river amongst traditional villages. Glorious.
Tug was an affable fellow, but unfortunately didn't have much common language with the local 'guides' who did all the driving, lunch preparation and (through their company) the hotel bookings. It did seem a bit odd to have a Brit in charge when the Moroccans were doing all the work.
There are numerous long ascents, but these can easily be tackled by dropping into a low gear and twiddling - none are insurmountable to the moderately fit! I don't normally cycle with a helmet, but was glad I took mine, as some the descents are pretty hairy - made more so by the frequent road works and quantities of gravel on the roads. As a vegetarian I endured some memorably awful meals, surviving on omelettes (the last of which provided a memorable post-holiday bonus).
Undoubtedly the most spectacular wildlife expedition I have participated in. Great leadership from Roni, wonderful real life jungle experience. Mammalian wildlife a bit thin on the ground outside of the reserves, but birdlife abounded and our top birder noted over 90 species during the trip.
The sense of achievement in completing the long jungle march from the river to Sepilok. Five hours to cover nine km in 34 c and 90% plus humidity and lots of ups and downs. Seeing Orang Utans is always moving, even if just semi wild. We did see them in the wild a couple of times and that was an awesome experience. Speaking as one who lives to eat, the food alone in that part of the world makes the trip worthwhile. Gotta love rice and noodles, however!
Roni was the key element in the success of the trip. Pretty varied group, strong representation from birders but Roni managed to keep everybody involved and interested. Got me up early three days to go look for birds! Managed the whole project with a professional, thoughtful style laced with a great deal of good humour. Roni's vast birding knowledge greatly appreciated by those members of the gang.
Do not be put off by the constant reference to birding. Even if like me you are not that much into birds it is well worth getting a couple of bird books and a decent pair of binoculars and allow the enthusiasm of the 'proper' birders to infect you. For me the trip was primarily about the jungle and walking, with the wildlife a bonus and you will have gathered I had a great time!